17:10 Thurles

Tuesday 5 March 2024

All14:4015:1015:4016:1016:4017:1017:40

Thurles Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:10 | Winning time: 6m 27.5s

Linden Arden²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 121

11/10

1 win from 2 runs this season. Career best when winning 7-runner novice hurdle at Punchestown (19.9f, soft, 8/11) 29 days ago, unchallenged. Further progress likely.

Form: 5825-61

Native Speaker⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 114| D

3/1

Promising sort. 9/2, creditable second of 8 in novice hurdle at Limerick (21f, heavy) 68 days ago, no match for winner. Big player on handicap debut.

Form: 14-922

Insouciant Dallier^t⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Liz Doyle| OR: 111

33/1

Lightly-raced maiden under Rules. 12/1 and tongue strap on for 1st time, seventh of 10 in novice hurdle at Punchestown (22.9f, soft) 50 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 2-92257

Ishan³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Phillip Enright| T: S Curling| OR: 111| D

4/1

2 wins from 6 runs this season. Latest win in hurdle at Limerick in December. 20/1, respectable eleventh of 22 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (24.3f, soft) 31 days ago.

Form: 081210

Rowdy Romeo⁸³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: J J Slevin| T: Caroline Mccaldin| OR: 111| BF

10/1

Creditable second of 6 in novice hurdle (11/8) at Hexham (20.1f, heavy) 83 days ago. More will be needed if he's to go one better here.

Form: 23-U352

Power Hour¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Niall Moore⁽⁷⁾| T: M A Gunn| OR: 109

7/1

13/2, creditable fourth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (22.8f, heavy) 16 days ago. Each-way shout.

Form: 52-3444

Ballycairn⁷⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Cian Quirke⁽⁵⁾| T: Caroline Mccaldin| OR: 90

80/1

Fairly useful winner at 20f in bumpers. First run since leaving Mrs Denise Foster when last of 12 in novice hurdle at Down Royal (20.2f, soft, 200/1) 70 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut.

Form: 31803/0

Non-Runners

Shannon Royale²⁹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 6

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Zoffanien⁹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 7

T: D Hogan J: D King

West Is Awake⁶⁸

Weight: 11-0| Age: 8

T: E Cawley J: Philip Byrnes

Almuhit³⁰

Weight: 10-10| Age: 5

T: E Mullins J: Conor Clarke

Forecasts

Linden Arden (11/10), Native Speaker (3/1), Ishan (4/1), Shannon Royale (9/2), Power Hour (7/1), Almuhit (8/1), West Is Awake (8/1), Rowdy Romeo (10/1), Zoffanien (14/1), Insouciant Dallier (33/1), Ballycairn (80/1)

NATIVE SPEAKER and Linden Arden both have relatively low mileage and could be the pair to concentrate on. The latter is accorded the utmost respect on the back of his all-the-way Punchestown success last month but preference is for Native Speaker, who has chased home borderline smart novices the last twice and this former point winner promises to be suited by this stiffer test now pitched into a handicap. West Is Awake is third choice ahead of Power Hour and Shannon Royale.